Steam engine



Nov. 4, 1930. w. A. WEBSTER STEAM ENGINE Filed Jan. 28, 9

Patented Nov. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. WEBSTER, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TO LEON J. CASTLE, OF .ABINGDON, ILLINOIS STEAM ENGINE Application filed January 28, 1928.

This invention relates to a steam engine of the rotary type, one of the objects being to provide a stator of novel construction the parts of which, when assembled, form an annular steam passage provided with outlet ports or ducts through which steam will escape in small jets and, by impact against a rotor, cause the same to operate.

Another object is to provide a rotor having an annular series of depressions or buckets disposed at such an angle that when the jets of steam are directed thereinto successively the maximum efliciency will result.

A further object is to provide a rotary engine of this type formed of few parts, simple in construction and easy to assemble.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

30 Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through the stator, the rotor being shown partly in section and partly in elevation.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22, Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged section through a portion of the rotor.

Figure 4 is a section on line l l, Figure 3.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the outer ring of the stator which is provided, in its inner face, with a continuous groove 2. Fitted within the ring 1 is an inner ring 3 having a groove 4 in its outer periphery registering with the groove 2. Outlet ports 5 extend through the inner ring and communicate with the center of groove 4, all of these ports being tan- Serial No. 250,227.

gent to an imaginary circle concentric with the stator. The two rings 1 and 3 are interposed between heads 6 the marginal portions of which are offset inwardly to provide gripping flanges 7. Each flange has a rib 8 on its inner face at the edge of the flange and the outer ring 1 is adapted to'engage the inner or gripping faces of the flanges. Bolts 9 are extended transversely through the flanges 7 and are backed or reinforced by the ribs 8. These bolts also extend across and in contact with the outer surface of ring 1 so as to hold the ring properly centered relative to the heads 6.

Those portions of the heads 6 surrounded by the oifset flanges 7 provide clearance spaces 10 into which project bosses 11 provided at the centers ofthe heads. In these bosses, which can be suitably packed as shown at 12, is journaled the engine shaft 13. On this shaft is fixedly secured a cylinder rotor 14 the width of which is slightly less than the width of ring 3. The diameter of the rotor is such that the periphery thereof is supported close to but out of contact with the ring 3. In the periphery of the rotor are formed recesses or buckets 15 produced preferably by milling, each of these buckets or recesses being somewhat less than semicircular and all of the buckets or recesses being arranged tangent to a single imaginary circle concentric with the shaft 13. Each bucket or recess extends fromone side to the other of the rotor and is so narrow between the opposed flat walls that the discharge of steam due to'expansion can only be in a direction that will exert a reactive effect each time the bucket leaves one of the ports 5. It is understood, of course, that the steam expanding out of each bucket will escape over the sides of the rotor into one or both of the spaces indicated at 10. I

Spacing collars 16 can be provided on the shaft 13 betweenthe bosses 11 and-the rotor and exhaust ports of a y suitable-si e and number can be formed in the heads 6 as shown at 17, these ports opening into the exhaust chambers formed by the clearance spaces 10.

In Figure 1 an intake port has been indicated at 18 and opening thereinto is a pipe 19 disposed tangentially relative to groove or channel 2 for supplying steam under pressure. wVhen it is desired to actuate the engine steam under pressure is directed into the pipe 19 and will be delivered therefrom into the distributing passage formed by the cooperating grooves 2 and i. From this passage the steam will be expelled in small jets through the ports 5 and these jets will discharge into the small buckets 15, causingthe rotor to operate. The steam will exhaust from the ends of the buckets into the exhaust chambers 10 and pass from these through the ports 17. It will be noted that that portion of the stator which first receives the steam from the inlet 18 has its ports 5 arranged closer than that portion remote from the inlet. These closely arranged ports are located in the lower part of the stator and the increased number of jets of steam delivered through these ports results in the exertion of an upward thrust or lifting action upon the rotor tending to relieve the bearings of the weight of the rotor and to correspondingly increase the efficiency of the engine. In other Words the increased number of jets discharging upwardly against the rotor results in the formation of a high pressure film of steam which tends to support the rotor or press upwardly thereagainst. Such a result would not be present should the ports be equally spaced around the rotor.

lVhile the engine is in operation an unbroken film of live steam is maintained throughout the inner circumference of the stator, this tending to hold the rotor against vibration and producing maximum results due to the release of the steam.

What is claimed is:

A steam engine including a rotor having peripheral recesses gradually increasing in depth from their ends toward their centers and having opposed flat faces, all of the recesses being disposed at a tangent to a single imaginary circle concentric with the rotor, and a stator housing the rotor, said stator in cluding opposed heads, each having a space in the inner side thereof substantially coextensive with the rotor, concentric contacting rings interposed between the heads and surrounding the rotor, and means for clamping the heads on the rings, there being registering grooves in the meeting faces of the rings forming a continuous distributing passage, a steam inlet port in the outer ring opening into said passage, and a plurality of outlet ports in the inner ring for directing jets of steam from the distributing passage into the recesses, said ports being tangentially disposed, the ports farthest from the inlet being spaced apart greater distances than those ports adjacent the inlet, there being clearances between the rotor and the heads for the escape of steam laterally from the peripheral recesses in the rotor to the spaces in the heads, and outlet ports in the heads communicating with the spaces.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

WILLIAM A. WEBSTER. 

